A generic damping valve for a vibration damper is shown in DE 10 2009 059 808 A1. The damping valve forms an annular control space. This control space is operatively connected to an upper working space of the vibration damper via a choke orifice. Further, the control space is limited by a main stage body and valve housing. Main stage body and valve housing are aligned with one another via guide surfaces and can be displaced axially relative to one another. Further, the guide surfaces seal the control space substantially relative to the other spaces in the damping valve. At high temperatures and high loading of the damping valve, for example, with large volume flows, leakages can take effect at the guide surfaces and generate a damping medium flow into the control space via the guide surfaces leading to an additional closing force on the main stage body. In this way, the pressure in the interior of the valve and in the control space rises sharply, and the damping medium flowing into the control space cannot be removed quickly enough via the choke orifice under extreme conditions. Accordingly, the damping medium can foam so that a damping action during a subsequent movement of the damping valve has a substantially reduced effect. Moreover, a gas barrier at a piston rod guide can be rendered useless or can be damaged.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a damping valve which prevents an overpressure in the damping valve, particularly at high temperatures and high loading in the push direction.